Stackable display case



June 13, 1961 M. w. vANNlcE 2,988,412

STOCKABLE DISPLAY CASE Filed Feb, 9, 1959 f1 1 1111111111" I Il',

l 5 5 i 5 5 A l la i E sIl (1111111 Il Il', l lill Il '11111 111 lll l 1l /NVEA/ 7'0/2 MARK/Af Ml l/A/v/v/CE States Fatemi 2,988,412 STACKABLE DISPLAY CASE Marvin W. Vannice, Burbank, Calif., assignor to Vue- Chest, Inc., Burbank, Calif., a corporation of California Filed Feb. 9, 1959, Ser. No. 791,943 3 Claims. (Cl. S12- 111) The present invention relates generally to the packaging or container art, and more particularly to a novel shoe box which'is especially suitable for use in storing womens shoes in a tiered or stacked relationship.

Although the instant invention is shown and described as applied to a shoe box, it is to be understood that it is not so limitedbut that it can also be employed in containers which are used in the sale and storage of other items. i

Briey stated, the invention comprises a sleeve member which slidably receives a drawer member made of transparent plastic material. The sidewalls of the sleeve member contain apertures, whereby the contents of the drawer member can be viewed through the transparent front wall thereof or through the apertures in the side walls of the sleeve member without removing the drawer member from the assembly. The sleeve member is also provided with interlocking means adjacent the front and back ends thereof whereby the containers can be positioned one on top of the other in a tiered or stacked relationship without danger of relative sliding movement, or relative tipping movement as may occur when a loaded drawer is being withdrawn from its sleeve member.

As is well lknown in the trade, many stores which sell womens shoe utilize various types of unique shoe boxes in an elort to attract more customers to the stores. Some of these boxes are merely more attractively decorated, whereas others are constructed so that they can be carried like a purse, and therefore used for carrying items other than shoes. However, most of the known shoe boxes are made from pressed paper board and are not very durable so that they soon become soiled and torn and have to be discarded. Also, the known boxes are not very suitable for storing shoes in a closet or the Ilike because they become crushed and they do not readily remain in a tiered or stacked position. Furthermore, the conventional shoe box with the lid on top is not at all suitable for use in storing shoes in a tiered or staclced arrangement because it is necessary to remove the box from the stack and open it in order to ascertain which particular pair of shoes is stored therein.

It is an object of the present invention, therefore, to provide a novel shoe box which is of rugged and lasting construction. More particularly, it is an object to provide such a container which will last almost indefinitely and which can be washed with water and conventional detergents.

Another object is to provide a novel shoe box which has viewing windows or panels incorporated therein whereby the user can view the contents of the box with out opening it or even removing it from its stored or stacked position. More particularly, it is an object to provide such a box in which the contents thereof can be viewed from the front and from the sides thereof without opening the box.

Yet another object is to provide a novel shoe box which can be readily and securely assembled in tiered or stacked relationship. More particularly, it is an object to provide such a box which includes simple, interlocking means whereby one box can be mounted upon another in stacked or tiered relationship with each box removably fastened to the one below it, without adversely affecting the appearance of the boxes. Specifically, it is an object to provide a novel shoe box which can be stacked ice one on top of another in interlocking relationship, which can be opened from the front to examine the contents thereof without removing it from its stacke-d position, and which will not become disengaged from the one below it when the loaded drawer is partially withdrawn from the assembly.

A further object is to provide a novel shoe box which is very pleasing in appearance, rugged in construction, and relatively inexpensive to manufacture.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following detailed description, reference being had to the accompanying drawing wherein preferred embodiments of the present invention are shown.

In the drawing:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a plurality of shoe boxes constructed in accordance with the teachings of the present invention, shown in vertical tiered or stacke relationship;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the sleeve of one of the boxes;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the drawer of one of the boxes;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged `fragmentary vertical sectiona View taken on the line 4 4 in FIG. l;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 5-5 in FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary perspective view of the bottom of the bottom wall of the sleeve, showing the hook and lug mounting means; and

FIG. 7 is a bottom plan view of a sleeve of a modified construction.

Referring to the drawing more particularly by reference numerals, 10 indicates generally a shoe box embodying the teachings of the present invention, which comprises a sleeve member 11 (FIG. 2) and a drawer member 12 (FIG. 3). Both members are preferably made from plastic material which is relatively inexpensive, very durable, and which can be Washed with water and conventional detergents when it becomes necessary to do so.

As shown in FIG. 2, the sleeve member 11 includes a top wall v13: which has a rear edge 14, opposed substantially parallel side walls 15, and an open bottom wall 16. Obviously, the bottom wall 16 could be of solid construction but it has been found advantageous to produce it in the see-through manner shown in order to reduce the weight of the box and conserve on materials. The open bottom wall also has the further advantage that it reduces the amount of iction between the sleeve member 11 and its co-operating drawer member 12 and prevents excessive scratching of the drawer member due to dust or foreign particles that may enter between the bottom thereof and the bottom wall 16. T he bottom wall 16 is fastened to the side walls 15 by means of protuberances or lugs 18 (FIG. 6) which depend from the side walls 15 adjacent the front and rear ends thereof, and which are cemented in elongated openings 20 formed in the bottom wall 16. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 6, the openings 20 are formed inwardly of the outer edges of the bottom wall 16 so that each one provides four surfaces for cementing purposes. As shown in FIG. 5, this leaves -the side edges of the bottom wall 16 projecting as ledges outwardly beyond the side walls 15 at the junction of these walls. Also as shown in FIG. 5, the lateral dimension of the bottom wall is slightly greater than the top all 13 so that the ledges of an upper unit project slightly beyond the top wall of a lower unit in protective relationship. The sidewalls 15 contain windows or apertures 21 which are substantially as large as the walls themselves so that the contents of the drawer member 12 can be viewed from the side of the box, as will be described more fully hereinafter. Formed in the top wall 13 adjacent the forward edge thereof, are two rectangular-shaped openings 22 and depending from the top wall adjacent the rear edge 14 is a liange stop member 24 (FIG. the side edges of which terminate inwardly of the side walls 1S for a purpose to appear.

Referring to FIG. 6, the bottom wall 16 contains two spaced elongated depending lugs 26 adjacent the front end thereof which are shaped to fit into the openings 22 in the top wall of a sleeve member positioned immediately below it, The bottom wall also contains spaced hook members 28 which extend downwardly and forwardly from the rear edge thereof, and which are spaced inwardly of the side walls 15 so as not to contact said walls when the sleeve members 11 are stacked one on top of the other. The lugs 26 and the hooks 28 are of approximately the same height or thickness so that when they function as the legs of the bottom sleeve member in a stack, the bottom unit will not be'til'ted an appreciable amount from a horizontal plane.

The sleeve member 11 (FIG. 2) is preferably opaque for a pleasing appearance, but it can be transparent, or the plastic material from which it is made can be tinted to varying degrees so as to be merely translucent;

The drawer member 12 (FIG. 3) is made from clear or slightly tinted plastic material and is preferably of unitary construction, and includes a bottom wall 30, opposed side walls 32, a rear wall 34, and a front wall 36. As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the side walls of the drawer member are inclined outwardly from the bottom to the top. A handle 38 projects forwardly from the front wall 36 adjacent the upper edge thereof. As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the drawer member 12 is of a size to t snugly within the sleeve member 11 with very little vertical or sideways movement, and it is also of approximately lthe same length as the sleeve member. It will be noted that the drawer member 12 will slide into and out of the sleeve member '11 on the side portions of the bottom wall 16 but that it is prevented from passing completely through the sleeve member :11 by the depending ange 24 (FIG. 4) engaging the back wall 34.

To mount the shoe boxes one on top of the other in a tiered or stacked relationship, the upper box is positioned over the lower box with the hook members 28 lof the upper box slightly to the `rear of the rear edge 14 of the lower box. The upper box is then moved forwardly until its hook members 28 engage the rear edge 14, and the lugs 26 on the upper box are then dropped `into the openings 22 in the top wal-l 13 of the lower box. This procedure is then repeated with each box which is to be positioned on top of the previously assembled boxes.

As shown best in FIG. 5, the depending flange stop member 24 terminates short of the inner faces of the side walls 1S of the sleeve member 11 so that the hook members 28 have a limited portion of the rear edge 14 which they can engage. This assures that the boxes 10 will be mounted one on top of the other in aligned relationship. and facilitates the positioning of the lugs 26 in the openings 22.

It will also be noted that the hooks 28 prevent the upper shoe box from becoming disengaged from the one below it by tilting, as would occur when a loaded drawer member 12 is withdrawn from such a box which did not have means holding together the rear portions of the stacked boxes.

If it is found desirable to further conserve on material, the bottom wall of the sleeve member 11 can be construc-ted as shown in FIG. 7 wherein the open bottom wall 16 is formed exclusively of spaced longitudinally extending side strips or ange members 40 which are fastened to the side walls 31S in the same manner as previously described with respect to the bottom wall 16 of the embodiment of FIGS. 16. The members 40 also contain depending lugs 126 adjacent the front end there- 4 of for insertion in the openings 22, and hook members 128 adjacent the rear ends.

Thus, it is apparent that there has been provided a novel shoe box which fullls all of the objects and advantages sought therefor. The box 10 is made from plastic material which is very durable and which can be washed with water when it becomes necessary to clean it. The openings 21 in the sides of the sleeve member 11 together with the clear drawer member 12 permit the contents of the drawer to be viewed from the front of the box or from either side thereof without having to withdraw the drawer member from the sleeve. The boxes can be easily and quickly positioned one on top of the other in interlocking stacked relationship with the sides in vertical alignment, and can be just as easily and quickly disassembled when necessary. The open bottom wall 16 permits the drawer member 12 to slide freely and easily relativeto the sleeve member, the sliding engagement being substantially confined to narrowpareas pro.- vided by the narrow side strips of the bottom wall to substantially eliminate scratching of the bottom wall 36 of the drawer member that would impede its transparency. Likewise, the sliding engagement between the sides of the drawer member and the sleeve member is confined to the top edge of the former due to the taper of the sides of the drawer member relative to the substantially parallel side walls 15 of the sleeve member. The hooks 28 prevent the stacked shoe boxes from tilting and separating one from the other when a loaded drawer member is withdrawn from4 its co-operating sleeve member.

It is to be understood that the foregoing description and the accompanying drawing have been given only by way of illustration and example, and that changes and alterations in the present disclosure which will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, are contemplated as within the scope of the present invention which is limited only by the claims which follow.

I claim:

1. Stackable display containers for displaying shoes and like contents in which the contents of each container of a stacked pair is viewable from the front and sides thereof even under adverse ambient light conditions, each display container comprising: a drawer of transparent plastic material having a bottom wall, two side walls respectively meeting said bottom wall at two lower side edges, a front wall and a rear wall, all of said transparent Walls being unitary, said drawer being of shoc length to receive between the front and rear walls content articles of such length viewable from the front through said front wall and from the side through said side walls by ambient light transmitted therethrough; a sleeve member made entirely of plastic material providing an open-ended passage slidably receiving said drawer and of a length substantially corresponding to the longitudinal length of said drawer between said front and rear walls thereof, said sleeve member providing opposed side walls, a top wall and a bottom wall, such bottom and side walls of said sleeve member having smooth internal surfaces slidably engaging said drawer upon longitudinal movement thereof along said passage of said sleeve member, said top wall covering said passage and the upper interior of said drawer, sai-d top wall having a top surface, said bottom wall of said sleeve member including two narrow flexible side strips made of plastic material forming rails liexible in an up-down direction at positions between support locations thereon respectively at .the front and rear ends thereof, said side strips having lower surfaces engageable with and supported against downward exing between said support locations by the top surface of the top wall of the lower of a pair of stacked containers, said side walls of said sleeve member being integral with at least one of lsaid top and bottom walls of said sleeve member, said side walls of said sleeve -member having leg portions respectively at the front and rear extermities of saidsleeveinember separated longitudinally thereof, said side walls having viewing and lighttransmitting apertures between the leg portions thereof exposing to View through said apertures substantially the entire length of said contents, said leg portions of each side wall being joined to one of said side strips at said support locations at positions spaced inwardly of the outer edge of such side strip, said outer edge forming a projecting ledge extending sidewardly and outwardly beyond at least a portion of each of such leg portions, the lateral distance between the outer edges of said side strips of such stacked pair of containers being greater than the lateral distance between the outer edges of said top member of the lowermost of such stacked pair whereby the projecting ledges of the upper of such pair of stacked containers project beyond the outer edges of the top member of the lower container of such stacked pair in protective relationship, each of said viewing and lighttransmitting apertures extending downward from a level near the top of said sleeve member and terminating at its lowermost portion at the top of the corresponding exible side strip to expose to view the drawer contents adjacent the corresponding one of said lower side edges of said drawer; and interengaging means comprising protrusions on one of said top and bottom walls of said sleeve member interlocking with the other of such walls of an adjacent sleeve member of the stack to restrain such sleeve members against relative movement in the direction of sliding of said drawer.

2. Stackable display containers `for displaying shoes and like contents in which the contents of each container of a stacked pair is Viewable from the front and sides thereof even under adverse ambient light conditions, each display container comprising: a drawer of transparent plastic material having a bottom wall, two side walls respectively meeting said bottom wall at two lower edges, a front wall and a rear wall respectively meeting said bottom wall at lower front and rear edges, all of said transparent walls being unitary, said side walls tapering in such manner that the lateral distance between said two lower side edges is less than the lateral distance between said side walls at the tops thereof, said drawer being of shoe length to receive between said front and rear walls thereof content articles of such length viewable from the front through said front wall and from the side through said side walls by ambient light transmitted therethrough; a sleeve member made entirely of plastic material providing an open-ended passage slidably receiving said drawer, said passage being of a width slightly greater than said lateral distance between said side walls of said vdrawer at the top thereof and of a length substantially corresponding to the longitudinal length of the upper end of said drawer between said front and rear walls thereof, said sleeve member providing two opposed side walls, a top wall and a bottom wall, such bottom and side Walls of said sleeve member having smooth internal surfaces slidably engaging said drawer, said top wall covering said passage and the upper interior of said drawer, said top wall having a top surface, said bottom wall of said sleeve member including two narrow flexible side strips made of plastic material forming rails Iflexible in an up-down direction between support locations thereon respectively at the front and rear ends thereof, said side strips having lower surfaces engageable with and supported against downward llexing between said support locations by the top surface of the top wall of the lower of a pair of stacked containers, said side walls of said sleeve member being molded integral with at least one of said top and bottom walls of said sleeve member, said side walls of said sleeve member comprising two leg portions respectively at the front and rear extremities of said sleeve member separated longitudinally thereof to form between said leg portions viewing and llight-transmitting apertures exposing to view through said apertures substantially the entire length of said contents, opposed leg portions of said opposed side walls being substantially parallel to each other to form a tapered space between each leg portion and the adjoining side wall of said drawer thereby confining sliding engagement therebetween to a zone at the top of such side wail of said drawer, each of said viewing and light-transmitting apertures extending downward from a level near the top of said sleeve member and terminating at its lowermost position at the top of the corresponding exible side strip to maximize entry of ambient light into said drawer through the corresponding viewing and light-transmitting aperture and to expose to view the drawer contents adjacent the corresponding one of said lower side edges of said drawer; stop means on said sleeve member limiting the insertion of said drawer into said sleeve member; and interengaging means comprising protrusions on one of said top and bottom walls of said sleeve member interlocking with the other of such walls of an adjacent sleeve member of the stack to restrain such sleeve members against relative movement in the `direction of sliding of said drawer.

3. Stackable display containers as dened in claim 2 in which both side walls of a corresponding sleeve member include a longitudinal ilange `depending from the top wall of such sleeve member in the plane of said opposed leg portions of the corresponding side wall, said flange having a lower edge forming the top of the corresponding viewing and light-transmitting aperture, said flanges being molded integrally with the leg portions of the corresponding side `wall and providing therewith smooth unobstructed inner surfaces extending throughout the length of the sleeve member on opposite sides of the upper interior thereof engaged by said tops of the drawer side walls to guide said drawer.

Refernces Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 460,252 Lehmann Sept. 29, 1891 1,308,647 Stuck July 1, 1919 1,329,616 Larson Feb, 3, 1920 1,390,374 Niles Sept. 13, 1921 2,157,954 Gould May 9, 1939 2,162,089 Kagen June 13, 1939 2,811,404 Brooks Oct. 29, 1957 2,825,614 Card Mar. 4, 1958 2,853,350 Mandel Sept. 23, 1958 FOREIGN PATENTS 257,083 Switzerland Mar. 16, 1949 

